Gasket making machine



March 7, 1950 w. R. PRICE 2,499,681

GASKET MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 J] INVENTQR /EEQRNEY March 7, 1950 w. R. PRICE 2,499,681

GASKET MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 $2 INVENTOR Wm 72 Price BY i T March 7, 1950 w. R. PRICE GASKET MAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 5, 1947 G AMAAAMMA vvwwwv INVENTOEQ Wm. 72 P/"zce l/ r/ I I. I e

ATTORNEY March 7, 1950 w, PRICE 2,499,681

GASKET MAKING-MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 5, 1947 INVENTOR Wm. 72 Price- BY I - ORNEY Patented Mar. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GASKET MAKING MACHINE Application February 5, 1947, Serial No. 726,581

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for use in making spiral Wound gaskets of the type shown in the Bohm'er Patent No. 1,829,709 dated October 2'7, 1931, which comprises a metal strip spiral wound with a filler interposed between at least some of the metal convolutions.

In the manufacture of such gaskets the end of the metal strip is inserted in a mandrel which is then rotated to wind the first turn whereupon the mandrel is stopped and the turn is secured by welding. Thereafter the winding is continued with or without an intervening strip of compressible filler material, stopping at intervals as required to weld adjacent turns together. At the completion of the winding the outer end of the metal strip is welded to the adjacent turn to Secure the formed gasket.

In the commercial winding of gaskets of the above type. it is impractical to position the first weld at the extreme end of the metal strip, particularly as it is necessary to bend over a portion of the end of the strip for insertion in the mandrel slit. A loose portion of this strip or tail accordingly projects beyodn the first weld and must be removed from the completed gasket.

An object of the present invention is to provide a machine for removing this projecting end of the gasket st'r'ip.

Another object is to provide a machine of the above type for-breaking the loose end of the gasket strip at a point adjacent the first weld.

Another object is to provide a machine of the above type for treating a plurality of gaskets simultaneously.

Another object is to provide a machine of the above type having novel and improved details of construction and features' of operation.

In accordance with the present invention the machine includes a receptacle which is shaped to receive and hold the gasket to be treated and may hold a plurality of such gaskets in superimposed relationship. An oscillating gripperis provided which receives the loose end of each gasket strip. The machine is so constructed that after ceptacle advances with respect to the gripper so as" to feed the gripper along the loose end of the metal strip until the gripper engages the first weld. The receptacle is then clamped in this po- 'sition and the gripper is oscillated rapidly about the point of the first weld as a center to break off the loose end and leave a smooth inner gasket surface at the weld. The gasket or gaskets are then removed: manually trom the receptacle.

In: oneembodiment the machine includes pneu- 2i and 'fiangeai z are oi a'shape to conform-to matically operated mechanism for advancing:the receptacle and a pneumatically operated brakefor clamping the receptacle in position.- The Ina-- chine also includes a driving motor for oscillating the gripper and timed means for connecting the driving motor to cause the gripper to oscillate after the receptacle has been clamped in po sition.

Although the novel. features which are char acteristic of this invention are pointed out more particularly in the claims, the nature of the invention will be better understood by referring'to the following description t'aken in connection with: the accompanying drawings in which a specific embodiment" thereof has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of'thei gasket making. machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 -3 of Fig. 1';

Fig. 4' is a partial vertical section taken on the line 4'4 of'Fi'g. 2 showing the receptacle mounting and brake;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 55 of. Fig. 1; I

Fig. 6 is a partial vertical section taken on the line t -6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is a top plan view of the receptacle showing its initial position with respect to the grip p Fig. 8 is a top plan view similar to Fig. '7 showing the position of the receptacle after advanc ing laterally with respect to the gripper: and

Fig. 9 is a similar top plan view showing the final position; of the receptacle after advancing and rotating to bring the gripper into contact with the first weld of the gasket strip.

Referring tothe drawings more in detail, the" machine is shown as comprising a table! 0 mounted. on legs H. The table iii is provided with'a slot l2 (Fig. through. which a bushing l3 extends. The bushing i 3 is provided with side flanges M which are adapted to slide channels formed by guide rails l5 and. top plates l6 which are secured to the table Hi by screws H. The slot l2 and the guide rails is are designed to permit limited longitudinal movements of the flanges i4 and bushing 3.

The bushing: i3 carries a shaft 20 to which is attached a gasket receptacle comprising a plate 2 l; and vertical: positioning: flanges 22 The plate thegasket which is to be treated. In the 3 bodiment shown in Figs. '7, 8 and 9, the plate 2| and flanges 22 are designed to receive a foursided gasket 24. It is to be understood, however. that these parts may be made in any desired shape in accordance with the particular gasket to be received thereon.

A brake-arm 25 is rigidly attached to the shaft 20 to turn therewith. This arm 25 is provided with a pair of friction surfaces 26 which are adapted to be engaged by plunger sleeves 21 which are slidably mounted on pins 28 and are normally held in their upper position by springs 29. The pins 28 are attached by means of plates 30 and bolts 3 la to the table I0. The inner bores of the sleeves 21 extend beyond the ends of the pins 28 to form cylinders 3| having air ports 32 through which air pressure may be supplied to the cylinders for forcing the sleeves 21 downwardly into engagement with the friction surfaces 26 of the brake arm 25. The surfaces 26 are of sufficient area to register with the sleeves 21 in the various positions in which it ma be desired to clamp the plate 2 I.

For shifting the plate 2| laterally, a cable 35 (Figs. 1, 2 and is attached to an eye 36 secured to the boss I3. The cable 35 extends over an idler pulley 31 and is attached by a clip 38 to a lever 39 which is secured to a rod 40 journaled in bearings 4| secured to the legs II. The lever 39 is provided with a groove 42 into which a set screw 43 on the clip 38 extends. The groove 42 permits the clip 38 to be adjusted along the lever 39 as required. The cable 35 is broken by a spring 44 which permits the downward movement of the lever 39 to be continued after the bushing I3 has reached the limit of its travel.

The brake arm 25 is rotated by means of a cable 50 which is attached to an eye 5| secured to thebrake arm 25 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5). The cable 50 passes over an idler pulley 52 and is attached by means of a clip 53 to the lever 39. The cable 50 is provided with sufiicient slack to prevent the same from pulling on the brake arm 25 until the bushing I3 has reached the limit of its lateral movement due to the pull of the cable 35. The cable 50 is broken by a spring 54 to permit the lever 39 to continue its downward movement after the arm 25 has been actuated. The clip 53 is provided with a set screw 55 which engages the groove 42 to permit the clip 53 to be adjusted along the lever 39 as required.-

The ports 32 in the cylinder 3| are connected by pipes 60 and 6| (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5) to an air vent valve 62 which is supplied from a compressed air line 64 through a pressure regulating valve 65. The valve 62 is controlled by a plunger 65a which is actuated bya pivoted link 66. The link 66 is adjustably pivoted by means of a pin 61 to a link 68 which is pivoted by a pin 69 to a clip which is attached to the lever 39. A set screw 12 engages the groove 42 to permit the clip 10 to be adjusted along the lever 39 as required. The connection is such that when the lever 39 is depressed. the pivoted arm 66 actuates the plunger 65a to open the valve 62 and supply air under pressure to the cylinders 3| to force the sleeves 21 downwardl into frictional engagement with the surfaces 26 of the brake arm 25, thereby holding the plate 2| rigid during the twisting operation to be described. When released the arm 25 is returned to its original position by a spring (Fig. 5) which is attached to an eye 16 carried by the arm 25 in a position to oppose the movement produced by the pull of thecable 50., Suitable stop means may be provided to limit the movement of the arm 25 and its associated parts.

The gripper comprises a pair of pins (Figs. 2, 4, 7, 8 and 9) which are spaced to receive the loose end 8| of the gasket strip therebetween and are mounted on a head 82 which is journaled by means of a shaft 83 (Fig. 2) in a boss 84 attached to the table I0. The pins 80 project through a slot 85 (Figs. '1, 8 and 9) in the plate 2| which provides clearance for the relative movement of the plate 2| and the pins 80. The shaft 83 carries an arm 86 (Fig. 3) which is normally held in a retracted position by a spring 81. The arm 86 is attached by a link 93 and pin 89 to a crank 90 which is mounted on a shaft 92 (Fig. 6) journaled in a bracket 93 attached to a leg I I. The shaft 92 carries at its lower end a friction pulley 94 which is engageable by a friction pulley 95 mounted on the shaft 96 of a motor 91. The motor 91 is mounted on arms 98 which are hinged by means of a pin 99 to 'a bracket I 00 which is carried by an arm IOI (Figs/ 2 and 3) attached to the legs II. The motor housing carries an arm I02 (Fig. 3) to which a spring I03 is attached for holding the friction pulleys 94 and 95 disengaged. A cable I04 (Figs. 1, 3 and 6) attached to the arm I92, passes over an idler pulley I05 and is attached by a clip I06 to a lever I01 attached to the rod 40. The cable I04 is so arranged that downward movement of the lever I01 swings the friction pulle 95 into engagement with the friction pulley 94 for driving the crank 90 and causing the arm 86 and the pins 80 to oscillate about the shaft 83 as a center. The pins 80 are located with their inner edges at about the axis of the shaft 83, so that oscillation of the pins 80 twists the strip 8| which is held therebetween to break off the strip adjacent said inner edges.

The lever I01 is actuated by an air cylinder IIO (Fig. 2) Whichis pivoted to the lever I07 by means of a bracket III and clip H2. The clip H2 is pivoted to the bracket III by means of a;

pin II 3 (Fig. 1) and is provided with a set screw II4 which permits adjustment of the clip IIZ along the lever I01. The cylinder IIO carries a piston I20 which is attached to a pi ton rod I2! pivoted by a pin I22 to a bracket I23 attached to the table I0. The cylinder H0 is provided with an air port below the pistons I20 which is connected by a pipe I 25 to a two-way valve I26. The valve I26 receives air through a pipe I 21 and a pressure regulating valve I28 from the supply line 64 and vents to the atmosphere through a pipe I29. A foot lever I30 controls the action of the valve I26 to connect the pipe I25 either to the pressure pipe I21 or to the vent I 29.

The cylinder I I0 is provided with a second port located above the piston I20 which is connected by a pipe I32 (Fig. 1) to a liquid receiver I33 which may for example contain oil. The oil in the receiver I 33 is maintained under pressure from a supply line I34 which is connected through a pressure regulating valve I35 and pipe I36 to" the top of the receiver I33. The pressure maintained on the oil in the receiver I33 is normally such as to hold the piston I20 in its lower position when the pipe I25 is vented to the atmosphere, but allows the piston to be elevated-- in the cylinder IIO when pressure from the pipe I21 is supplied through the pipe I25 to the cylinder IIO.

In the operation of this device the foot pedal I30 76.- is normally held in itsiupperxposition with'the valve I26 in aposition' to'vent the pipelZBtothe atmosphereythereby allowing the piston I20 to be'depressed in the cylinder I I0. Since the piston lZll'is attached to the pivoted rod I21 and is thus prevented from longitudinal movement, the effect is to raise the cylinder I Ill and with it the lever N31. The lever also controls theposition of the rod 40 and the lever 39, retaining the latter in elevated position. The plate 2i and the pins Stare in the position shown in Fig. 7 with the pins 86 at rest. A spiral wound gasket 24 is now placed on the plate 2! with the inner extension .8l of its metal strip between the two pins as. If a pluralityoi gaskets are to be treated they may be placed onthe-platell in superposed'relationship with all their inner extensions 8| disposed between the pins 80 as shown in Fig. 7.

The foot lever 39 is now depressed to actuate the valve I26 and supply air under pressure from the line [2! to the line H25, thereby lowering the cylinder H8 with respect to'the piston i213 and depressing the levers HI! and 39. As the lever 39 starts its downward movement, the cable 35 pulls the bushing l3 laterally and causes the bushing with the plate 2! to slide laterally until the pins 80 are brought against the inner periphery of the gasket as shown in Fig. 8, thereby limiting further lateral movement of the plate 2|. Further downward movement of the lever 39 causes the cable 50 to pull on the brake arm 25 and rotate the arm 25, shaft and plate 2! about the shaft 20 as an axis. This rotation of the plate 2! causes the pins 80 to slide along the loose end 8! of the gasket strip until the pins engage the first weld, indicated at I4! in Fig. 9. If more than one gasket is being treated at the same time, it is to be understood that the welds will be similarly located in all of the gaskets. The plate 2! and gaskets are now held in the position shown in Fig. 9 while further downward movement of the lever 39 actuates the valve 62 to supply air to the cylinders 3| and thereby force the sleeves 21 downwardly onto the brake surfaces 25. This action locks the plate 2| securely in the position shown in Fig. 9 and holds the same rigid during the following twisting operation.

Downward movement of the lever I01 causes the cable I04 to swing the motor 9'! about the pin 99 and bring its friction pulley 95 into driving engagement with the friction pulley 94. The position of the clip Hi6 on the lever i0! is so adjusted that the pulleys 94 and 95 are brought into driving engagement after the brake arm has been locked by the sleeves 21 as above described. The motor 9'! thus drives the crank 90 and, through the arm 8t, causes the shaft 83 and pins 8E3 to oscillate about the axis of the shaft 83. The pins 80 thus twist the loose end of the strip 8! rapidly back and forth about the weld M! as a center until the strip 8! is broken off at that point.

After the strip 8! has been broken off as above described, the lever 13!) is released, thereby venting the line I25 and permitting the fluid within the cylinder I 33 to return to the top of the cylinder Ho and again raise the levers l0! and- 39. This releases the driving motor and allows the same to be retracted from driving engagement by the spring Hi3. It also releases the air pressure on the cylinders 3| to permit the sleeves 2'! to be retracted by the springs 29 and the plate M to be restored to its original position by the spring 15. The gasket or gaskets may then be removed from the plate 2|.

6 The cabIes BSJSO-and 1'04" may, of course,':be replaced by other "drive mechanisms. For-example, separate air or hydraulic cylinders maybe provided for the control of the brake arm 25, the bushing 13 and the motorQl,respectively, 'and maybe mounted for direct connection thereto. The timing of the'various cylinders would be controlled by suitable valves. Such constructions may be particularly desirable for the brake arm or bushing control wherera plurality of gaskets are to be treated simultaneously as in that:.case considerable force is required to bend the ends 8| beyond their elastic limit as required 'tofpcrmit them to be broken off by the oscillating pins 80.

It will be understood thatin normal use .the above operations of 'removing the loose ends .81 from a set of gaskets'requires only a fewseconds. The machine is accordingly adapted 'to commercial operation andis designed to break off the loose ends '81 accurately at the location 'of the first weld leaving the gasket with'alsmooth inner peripheral surface.

Although a specific embodiment of the machine has been shown for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that the-machinelis capable. of various uses and that changes and modifications may be made therein as will be apparent toaperson skilled in the art. The invention is only to be restricted in accordance with the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for removing from welded, spiral wound strip-metal gaskets the ends of strip metal projecting within said gasket beyond the first weld, comprising a receptacle having walls shaped to receive and hold the peripheral edges of said gasket, a gripper extending within said receptacle and having a slot to receive said projecting strip, means for shifting the relative positions of said gripper and said receptacle to slide said projecting strip through said slot in said gripper until said first weld engages said gripper, and means for oscillating said gripper transversely of said strip to flex and break off said projecting strip at said first weld.

2. A machine for removing from welded, spiralwound, strip metal gaskets the ends of strip metal projecting within said gasket beyond the first weld, comprising a receptacle having walls shaped to receive and hold the peripheral edges of said gasket and mounted for lateral and rotational movement, a gripper extending within said receptacle and having a slot to receive said projecting strip, means for shifting said receptacle both laterally and rotatably to slide said projecting strip through said slot in said gripper until the first weld engages said gripper, and means for oscillating said gripper transversely of said strip to flex and break ofi said projecting strip at said first weld.

3. A machine for removing from welded, spiralwound, strip-metal gaskets the ends of strip metal projecting within said gasket beyond the first weld, comprising a receptacle having walls shaped to receive and hold the peripheral edges of said gasket, a gripper extending within said receptacle and having a slot to receive said projecting strip, means for shifting said receptacle to slide said projecting strip through said slot in said gripper until the first weld engages said gripper, means clamping the receptacle in said position, and means oscillating said gripper transversely of said strip to flex and break ofi said projecting strip at said first weld.

' 4. A machine for removing from welded, spiralwound, strip-metal gaskets the ends of strip metal projecting within said gasket beyond the first weld, comprising a receptacle having walls shaped to receive and hold the peripheral edges of said gasket, a gripper extending within said receptacle and having a slot to receive said projecting strip, a slidable carriage, means pivotally mounting said receptacle on said carriage, means sliding said carriage and pivoting said receptacle to slide said projecting strip through said slot in said gripper until the first weld engages said gripper, and means for oscillating said gripper transversely of said strip to flex and break off said projecting strip at said first weld.

5. In a machine as set forth in claim 4, a fixed brake member mounted on said carriage and brake means to engage said member for clamping said carriage in position.

6. A machine as set forth in claim 5 in which said brake means comprises air actuated pistons and means supplying air under pressure to actuate said pistons.

7. A machine as set forth in claim 4 including timed actuating means connected to said carriage and said receptacle and having means to first shift said carriage and then pivot said receptacle thereon.

8. A machine as set forth in claim 4 in which said gripper comprises a pair of pins between which said strip is disposed, a shaft carrying said pins, and means oscillating said shaft about its axis.

9. A machine as set forth in claim 8 in which said pins project axially from said shaft and are disposed with one edge at the axis of said shaft.

10. A machine as set forth in claim 9 including a crank connected to oscillate said shaft and a driving motor connected to drive said crank.

11. In a machine as set forth in claim 10, timed means to oscillate said shaft and means rendering said last means operative only after the gripper has been positioned against said first weld.

WILLIAM R. PRICE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 20 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

